5 Stats on the State of Global EV Growth

Electric vehicle sales are trending up all across the globe. From Australia to England, the U.S. to China, recent polls and reports show interest in e-mobility growing.

Whether it's passenger EV purchases or corporate purchasing commitments, public support for policy initiatives or technology trends, many of the latest indicators are positive. But it's not all good news. A closer look at recent developments shows infrastructure lacking, certain policies failing and the EV adoption rate slowing.

Below I offer five stats marking the current status of global EV growth.

31 companies commit to switching their road fleets to EVs

Vehicle electrification is quickly becoming the hottest new trend in corporate responsibility. The Climate Group recently reported that 31 companies, with combined revenue of more than $500 billion, have now pledged to transition their road fleets to plug-in vehicles through the EV100 initiative.

The Climate Group has a target to electrify more than 2 million vehicles by 2030. EV100 participants include Ikea, Unilever, EDF and Heathrow Airport.

According to the first annual EV100 report, which covers the commitments of 23 member companies, 95 percent of businesses cite reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a “very significant” or “significant” driver for switching to electric. Just one-third of the companies covered in the report identify financial savings as an incentive.

In fact, the economics of EVs remain a problem for corporate buyers. The EV100 report found that the capital costs for EVs are a “very significant” issue for 33 percent of companies surveyed. A lack of charging infrastructure and a lack of EV options were also cited as significant issues.